Marketing manager salary in Australia: awards, benchmarks and the national minimum wage

Marketing manager salary: where does it sit on the national line?

If you’re looking at a marketing manager salary in Australia, the first thing to know is that there’s no single number. Pay depends on the industry, the state, the size of the business, and whether you’re covered by an award or an individual arrangement. But we can use the national benchmarks from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and the Fair Work Ombudsman to get a clear picture.

The national line and the all-managers average

The ABS’s Employee Earnings and Hours survey (May 2025) gives average weekly total cash earnings for all managers at $2,800.90. That’s annualised to about $145,647 – well above the full-time adult ordinary-time benchmark of $2,083.70 per week (index 100, annualised $108,352). On the Salary Index, that puts the average manager at roughly index 134. But remember, that includes everyone from a small-business owner to a CEO. A marketing manager is likely to be somewhere in the middle.

For full-time non-managerial adult employees classified as managers (a narrower group), the average is $2,688.70 per week ($69.20 per hour). That’s still an index of about 129. The ABS doesn’t break out ‘marketing manager’ separately, but it’s a safe bet that a typical marketing manager earns between $100,000 and $150,000 a year, depending on experience and location.

Awards versus the national minimum wage

The national minimum wage from 1 July 2026 is $26.44 per hour, $1,004.90 per week, annualised $52,255 (index 48.2). No marketing manager should be earning that little – even entry-level marketing assistants on awards earn more. But it’s the floor: every employee must be paid at least this amount.

Many marketing managers are covered by a modern award, such as the Professional Employees Award or the Clerks – Private Sector Award. The Fair Work Ombudsman publishes pay guides that list minimum rates for each classification. For example, a Marketing Manager under the Clerks Award might be at Level 4 or 5, with weekly minimums around $1,100–$1,300 after the 4.75% increase from July 2026. That’s still below the typical market rate, because awards are minimums, not targets.

Most marketing managers are employed under individual arrangements (the ABS says 38.5% of all employees have their pay set this way). That means your salary is negotiated, not set by an award. In industries like professional services, mining, or finance, marketing managers can earn well above the all-managers average. For instance, the ABS reports average weekly earnings in the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services industry at $2,072.40 for all employees (index 114.7), and for managers in that sector it would be higher.

State and industry differences

Where you work matters. The ABS state averages show the highest weekly earnings in the ACT ($1,820.50) and Northern Territory ($1,817.80), and the lowest in Tasmania ($1,389.00). But those are all-industry averages. A marketing manager in Sydney (NSW index 101.2) or Melbourne (VIC index 98) might earn more than the state average because of the concentration of corporate headquarters. Check the states page for more detail.

Industry also plays a big role. The Mining industry has the highest average weekly earnings at $3,177.70 (index 154.7), while Retail Trade is $975.00 (index 75.9). A marketing manager in mining could earn $150,000–$200,000, while one in retail might be closer to $100,000. The industries page breaks this down.

How the index works

The Salary Index compares your yearly gross salary to the national line of $108,352 (index 100). If you earn $130,000, your index is 120. If you earn $80,000, it’s 74. This helps you see where you sit relative to the average full-time adult worker. For a marketing manager, an index between 100 and 140 is common. You can read more about how the index works.

Super and tax considerations

From 1 July 2026, the super guarantee is 12% on top of your salary, up to a maximum contribution base of $270,830. So a marketing manager on $120,000 gets an extra $14,400 into super each year. That’s not part of your take-home pay, but it’s a significant benefit.

Income tax for 2026–27 (resident, excluding Medicare) is progressive: nil up to $18,200, then 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000, and 45% above. Add the 2% Medicare levy. A marketing manager on $130,000 would pay about $29,467 in tax plus $2,600 Medicare levy, leaving around $97,933 take-home. But that’s before any salary sacrifice or HELP repayments.

The bottom line

A marketing manager salary in Australia is typically between $100,000 and $150,000, with the average manager earning around $145,000. That’s well above the national minimum wage and above the national line. Awards set a floor, but most marketing managers negotiate above that. Use the topics page to explore related roles like brand manager or communications manager.

If you’re unsure where your pay sits, compare it to the national line and check the relevant award. The Fair Work Ombudsman’s pay guides are the best place to start for minimums, and the ABS data gives you the market picture.